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Summertime in the BelgradesContentsfor Printing Article Summaries |
Aquafest: Watershed-Wide and Family-Focused
by Esther J. Perne When the first-ever Aquafest takes place in the Belgrades on Friday and Saturday, August 29 and 30, highlights will include an Antique Boat Display in back of the Village Inn on Friday evening, a 5K Road Race starting from Camp Runoia bright and early Saturday morning, and a Kayak Race from the Center for All Seasons Saturday afternoon — all great events for attracting participants and spectators to the beautiful waters of the Belgrade chain. But there's more. Aquafest includes a list of smaller scale activities, too, that are designed with everyone in mind — children, families, singles, even dogs (well behaved ones) — to have fun, learn a little, relax a lot, and celebrate Labor Day Weekend in a community way. These include the Fun Run (walk, crawl or creep) for all ages, tshirt painting, prize events for kids, GPS Clinic, fishing derby, and family chicken barbecue. The Melinda Ann, pontoon boat/classroom operated by the Maine Lakes Conservancy Institute, will be taking groups out on Great Pond. And there will be activities for families and friends in Belgrade Lakes Village. A fundraiser for the lakes, for all the programs that protect and preserve, for water quality, and for curtailing invasives, Aquafest is intended to include people who live here and don't always have the opportunity to be in or be aware of watershed programs that impact on the recreational enjoyment and economic benefits that lakes represent. Money raised via Aquafest will benefit the Lake Trust of the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance, which in turn benefits the lake associations for East, North, Salmon, McGrath, Great, Long and Messalonskee. The BRCA runs the invasives plant patrol programs, brings in grant money for water quality projects, and oversees the Conservation Corps. Through these programs, 38 seasonal employees — area youth — have summer jobs and frequently benefit in study and career opportunities. For more information visit www.belgradelakes.org or call | ||
